The red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) is one of eastern Australia's most commonly encountered snakes, easily identified by its glossy black upper body and bright red or orange flanks.
Distinctive, and hard to mistake for anything else
Its simple, striking two-tone coloring — solid glossy black above, vivid red or pink below — makes it one of the more visually unmistakable Australian snakes, without much need for pattern or marking comparisons.
Venomous, but rarely dangerous in practice
Despite being genuinely venomous and capable of causing significant illness, there are no confirmed human deaths on record from a red-bellied black snake bite. It's also a notably non-aggressive species, generally preferring to retreat, flatten its neck, and hiss loudly as a bluff display rather than bite, and usually only resorting to a strike when it has no escape route.
A strong swimmer
Red-bellied black snakes are closely tied to water — they're frequently found near swamps, creeks, and rivers, and are capable, confident swimmers, sometimes hunting fish and eels in addition to frogs and small land animals.
Range: Eastern Australia · Length: Typically 1.5–2 m, with the largest recorded individuals reaching about 2.5 m · Diet: Frogs, fish, reptiles, and small mammals · Venom: Medically significant, but not known to have caused a confirmed human death · Habitat: Swamps, creeks, and other areas near water